Business Consulting That Will Get Your Company Soaring

The success of the programme was in the results published by the company in achieving the highest ever revenue across all sectors and the highest level of targes achieved in its history.

Here’s a selection of comments from participants that were given to the company directors…

“Would have preferred the benefit of Paul’s coaching and mentoring earlier in my career!”

“Paul is a pleasure to work with”

“High confidence building and higher job performance”

“Sound, structured advice”

“Paul is very approachable and willing to answer any questions even if they do not relate to the topic of that session”

“Found Paul really engaging and willing to discuss all topics which I raised”

“The material and resources are very useful”

“Paul has a unique disposition for carrying out this role. His ability is beyond mere text books and could get to the heart of the matter very expeditiously and effectively”

A large Irish Government Department were seeking specialist skills and expertise in drawing up a change management work program to help it design an organisational structure that was fit for purpose and aligned with the future requirements of the organisation as a key central Department in Government and communicating this phase of development with all stakeholders.

Paul was engaged and…

• Ensured the incorporation of key learnings from previously undertaken assessments and stakeholder consultations.
• Developed key milestones and a realistic timeline for the work program rollout.
• Set out the communication requirements including an assessment of the capacity of current internal communication channels to facilitate the program.
• Designed an organisational structure to meet the demands of the Department.
• Carried out a risk assessment of the program and recommended appropriate mitigation measures.

The Result…
A unique matrix organisational structure was designed and implemented across all functions of the Department. All stakeholders were on board with the new structure and implementation plan. An engagement process was undertaken to bring all staff along the journey and the new management structure ensured a move from where functions operated as silos to a much more collaborative and functioning Department.

Here’s a small selection of results Paul has helped achieve for professional service clients:

“Our turnover has increased every year, even in the midst of the worst depression in a generation. In our first year alone we got a seven fold return on our investment with Paul”
~ Kenneth Garvey – Partner, Cusack Garvey, Chartered Certified Accountants & Registered Tax Consultants

“My sales figures are up 50%, I don’t work weekends anymore, and have obtained a ten-fold return on investment easily.”
~ Damien McKay – Consulting Engineer, DMK Architects & Engineers

“Business has increased such that I now employ an additional solicitor, and I expect in the very near future to increase staffing again.”
~ Deirdre Burke, D M Burke & Co., Solicitors

“We have increased our customer base by 25% and have hired two experienced Support Engineers.”
~ John Coffey, Managing Director, GC Technology

A group of companies that were expanding rapidly. Financial information was out of date and inaccurate. This caused difficulties in reporting to shareholders. Losses were in excess of €0.5 million, turnover in excess of €10m and the cash flow was extremely tight. The lack of information meant that there were difficulties in securing funding from banks, leading to continuous pressure on the ability to pay wages and suppliers.

Paul was engaged and…

• Introduced detailed reporting – daily, weekly and monthly
• Introduced detailed budgets
• Introduced counter-pilferage measures which had a direct impact on turnover.
• Introduced cost savings, reduced direct wages and overheads.
• Focused on product purchasing so as to increase the per-unit profitability to a business which had in excess of 200,000 units.

The Result…

• Turnover was increased by 120% to in excess of €22 million.
• Expanded from 45 to 60 stores nationwide.
• Profits exceeded €2 million
• Personal wealth of the Managing Director grew from €2 million to €24 million.
• €35 million of funding was secured from the banks, which was used by the business to fund business growth and personal wealth of the shareholders through property purchases.

Second generation family enterprise. Six companies with differing year-ends. Owners had no way of knowing how each company was performing; information was lacking and out of date, manual accounting systems were being maintained, and no formal reporting existed. Losses were in excess of €450,000 annually.

Paul was engaged and…

• Formal reporting was introduced, along with the production of monthly management accounts for each enterprise.
• Detailed budgets were prepared and actual results compared on a weekly basis.
• Direct labour costs, sub-contracted labour costs, and direct materials costs were reduced among other overheads.
• New products and markets were developed.
• Detailed job costing system was implemented.

The Result…

• Turnover increased by 75% to in excess of €10 million.
• Profits exceeded €750,000 – a turnaround of €1.2m.
• All systems were computerised

A Dublin based manufacturing company had been making losses for two years.

Paul was engaged and…

• Implemented a suitable accounting system.
• Prepared monthly management accounts focusing in on key performance indicators and providing specific advice to the business owners to carry out

The Result…

• Returned it to profit within 3 months.
• Annual profits exceeded €160,000 in year one.

An Irish owned warehousing, distribution and logistics company that had five locations nationwide and brought with it all the problems of a third-generation family business. Communication across departments was on a ‘need to know’ only basis and profits had plummeted over recent years.

Initial issues highlighted to Paul by the owner…

• Owner working in excess of 80 hours a week
• Staff were working against the company
• Highly inefficient
• Overdraft facility of €250,000 being used consistently
• Minimal communication between staff and management

Paul was engaged and…

• Developed a strategic plan for the entire business
• Implemented a meeting structure and reporting system
• Removed one family member and other problem staff from the business
• Introduced KPI (Key Performance Indicator) reporting
• Introduced budgets, targets and objectives
• Implemented credit control procedures and timely management reporting

The Result…

• Cashflow improved by €350,000 from new credit control procedures and overdraft facility was rarely used thereafter
• Profits increased by 27%
• Budgets and objectives were achieved and surpassed
• Communication and morale improved immensely
• Reduced owners time in the business from in excess of 80 hours per week over seven days to less than 50 hours per week over five days

According to the owner – “The difference is unbelievable”

An Irish owned second-generation family business that had not reacted to the difficulties of rising costs of manufacturing in Ireland and had an unfocused approach to their business. Communication in the business was extremely low and each department was not working together.

Initial issues highlighted to Paul by the owner…

• Communication was extremely low in the company
• Gross profit margins were narrowing and losses were growing steadily each year
• Owner working in excess of 70 hours a week

Paul was engaged and…

• Developed a strategic plan for the business
• Managed the buyout of one of the family members
• Implemented a meeting structure and timely management reporting system
• Introduced weekly KPI (Key Performance Indicator) reporting
• Introduced budgets, targets, goals and objectives
• Implemented a new stock management system
• Introduced company-wide policies, procedures and staff performance management system

The Result…

• New products and markets developed
• Higher staff morale
• Owner working on average 40 hours per week
• Turnover increased by 37% resulting in net profits for the business

The owner of a professional service company with five staff was looking to remove himself from the running of the business so as to concentrate on other areas / ventures.

Initial issues highlighted to Paul by the owner…

• Owner involved in the business five days a week
• Staff were taking no responsibility
• Owner wanted to concentrate on other new ventures

Paul was engaged and…

• Agreed a shared vision and strategy for the business with the team
• Implemented strategic management meetings
• Defined job roles, responsibilities and objectives

The Result…

• Owner now working one day a week on the business
• Staff run the business on a day-to-day basis
• Turnover exceeded targets and resulted in achieving best performance since incorporation

The owner of a professional service company with four staff that had performed well for a number of years but were looking to achieve stronger growth.

Initial issues highlighted to Paul by the owner…

• Company was not recognised in the market place
• Owner was looking to move the business onto the next level

Paul was engaged and…

• Developed a strategic vision and plan for the business and assisted in its implementation
• Agreed goals and objectives for each staff member
• Managed the acquisition of another business

The Result…

• Staff numbers increased to ten
• Net Profits increased by 143%
• Recognised brand image in their field of expertise
• Fee rates increased
• Developed into dealing with blue-chip clients
• The company continues to grow